A new, updated version of the classic beginners’ Welsh course,  Welcome to Welsh , has been published by Y Lolfa. Written by Heini Gruffudd, bestselling author of materials for Welsh learners, the content of the new edition has been completely revamped and the book has been redesigned to bring it up to date. 

“Forty years have flown by! I would never have thought in 1984 that the book would be so popular. The grammar, stories and conversations needed updating, and humour has changed. The success of materials for learners show that there is an ever-growing wish for Welsh to be increasingly used as a spoken language. I hope this new version will still be around years after I’m gone!” said author Heini Gruffudd. 

First published in 1984, the original edition has sold over 70,000 copies. Carolyn Hodges, now Head of English-Language Publishing at Y Lolfa but formerly in charge of creating market-leading language coursebooks at Oxford University Press, said: “The original edition is an absolute classic and has helped tens of thousands of learners to take their first steps in learning Welsh. This edition builds on that success, with the content overhauled to teach up-to-date Welsh that you’ll hear around you in the real world today, and a fresh new design that will appeal to a brand new generation of learners!” 

Ideal for self-study, the course has 16 units, using engaging new strip cartoons by Welsh illustrator Osian Roberts to present sentence structures and grammar points. There is also a dictionary section at the back of the book, and free MP3 audio files to accompany the lessons are downloadable from Y Lolfa’s website. 

Swansea-born Heini Gruffudd has spent his life teaching Welsh to children and adults. He has for many years been at the forefront of the campaign for Welsh-language education, and is a prolific author of successful and popular materials for Welsh learners. Other titles written by him include  Welsh is Fun (which has sold over 200,000 copies) ,  The Welsh Learner’s Dictionary ,  Welsh Rules  and  Talk Welsh .  

Welcome to Welsh   by Heini Gruffudd (£9.99, Y Lolfa) is available now.

Mae’r Lolfa wedi cyhoeddi argraffiad newydd o’r cwrs poblogaidd i ddysgwyr Cymraeg,  Welcome to Welsh .  Wedi’i ysgrifennu gan Heini Gruffudd, mae cynnwys yr argraffiad newydd wedi’i ddiweddaru a’i ail ddylunio er mwyn ei wneud yn addas i ddysgwyr heddiw. 

Mae’r adargraffiad hwn yn cynnwys nodiadau gramadeg gwerthfawr, ymarferion defnyddiol, sgyrsiau cartŵn a geiriadur cyffredinol ar gyfer dysgwyr.  

“Mae pedwardeg o flynyddoedd wedi hedfan heibio! Bydden i byth wedi meddwl yn 1984 y byddai’r llyfr mor boblogaidd. Roedd angen diweddaru’r gramadeg, y storïau a’r sgyrsiau, ac mae’r hiwmor wedi newid. Mae llwyddiant y deunydd ar gyfer dysgwyr yn dangos bod yna ddymuniad i siarad Cymraeg sydd yn parhau i dyfu. Rwy’n gobeithio bydd y fersiwn newydd yma ar gael ymhell ar ôl i fi fynd!” meddai’r awdur Heini Gruffudd. 

Cyhoeddwyd am y tro cyntaf ym 1984, a gwerthwyd dros 70,000 copi o’r fersiwn wreiddiol. Meddai Carolyn Hodges, Pennaeth Cyhoeddi Saesneg Y Lolfa sydd hefyd wedi bod yn gyfrifol am greu llyfrau cyrsiau iaith gydag Oxford University Press: “Mae’r fersiwn wreiddiol yn glasur ac wedi helpu degau o filoedd o ddysgwyr i gymryd y camau cyntaf i ddysgu Cymraeg. Mae’r fersiwn newydd yn adeiladu ar y llwyddiant yma, gyda chynnwys cyfoes, gyda Chymraeg fyddwch yn clywed ar strydoedd Cymru, a dyluniad ffres a fydd yn apelio at genhedlaeth newydd o ddysgwyr!” 

Mae’r gyfrol yn ddelfrydol ar gyfer dysgu ar eich pen eich hun, Mae’n cynnwys 16 uned a chartwnau gwych gan y dylunydd Cymraeg, Osian Roberts, sy’n cyflwyno strwythur brawddegau a phwyntiau gramadegol. Mae yna hefyd eiriadur, a ffeiliau sain MP3 am ddim i gyd-fynd â’r gwersi. 

Mae  Welcome to Welsh  gan Heini Gruffudd ar gael nawr, £9.99.